Tagged: DC

This New Comic Book Day welcome back one of DC’s premiere superhero teams!

A new dawn is rising on the Justice League of America. Spinning out of the events chronicled in Justice LeagueVs. Suicide Squad comes a team under the Justice League banner unlike any other. Don’t think so? Try these names on for size: Batman(makes sense), Black Canary (okay, been on the team before, sure), Killer Frost (what?), the Ray, (What?), Vixen (phew), the Atom (now you’re talking), and…Lobo?!?!?! You thought Lex Luthor put a few wrinkles into the team dynamic during the New 52, see what happens when the Main Man has to play nice with others. Who’s causing all this? Apparently, Batman. What’s he thinking? Find out in this issue as the Dark Knight assembles what DC is proclaiming to be the roughest and toughest Justice League of all-time.

After the events of Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad and four one-shots in January bringing you up to speed on the Atom, the Ray, Vixen, and Killer Frost, Steve Orlando (Midnighter & Apollo) and Ivan Reis (Justice League, Aquaman, Green Lantern) set the stage for this sensational roster. What does the future for this team hold? I have no idea but it’s likely to be anything but boring.

If you’ve been waiting for the next big thing when it comes to DC’s team books, you might have just found it. And you’ll find it on the shelves at Forbidden Planet for just $2.99 this Wednesday. Justice For All! But seriously, Lobo?!?!?

This week we put the spotlight on DC Comics’ reigning and defending Amazonian Princess!

WONDER WOMAN has been an unstoppably great series since Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, and Liam Sharp took over the direction of the character for her Rebirth. This week in WONDER WOMAN #15 the next arc and best jumping on point for new readers hits our shelves with “THE TRUTH” part one.

After the events of “THE LIES” Diana has finally seen the full scope of how her life and history have been transformed…unfortunately, the knowledge has fractured her mentally and emotionally, leaving the character ripe for rebuilding to be more badass than ever. Like Frank Miller executed with Daredevil in “BORN AGAIN”and Jeff Lemire with Green Arrow in “THE KILL MACHINE”, sometimes the best way to take your hero to new heights is to bring them to their lowest point first. Diana certainly seems like she’s at rock bottom.

All of us at Forbidden Planet cannot wait to see how she climbs her way out as Rucka’s long-game takes a grander and more epic shape this week. If for some reason you haven’t fallen down the Amazonian rabbit hole, then by the goddess now’s the perfect time to jump in for only $2.99!

If I had to make a list of the most recognizable figures in the entire world I think that Batman would be in the top 10. Maybe even the top 5. That brooding big eared bad boy probably lies somewhere on the list below Jesus Christ, but above Norman Reedus. So… chances are, someone on your Christmas shopping list is a Bat-Fan! Now I know I just said Batman is one of the most well known figures, yes… but… that doesn’t mean I expect you to know what to get the Boy Wonder of your Dynamic Duo for this holiday season. Those are references to Batman, stick with me kid and you’ll be dancing with the devil by the pale moonlight in no time!

Batman The Killing Joke – The super duper deluxe re-colored hardcover edition of the definitive Joker story written by that Watchmen guy. Quote me on that when handing this bad boy over to your gift recipient and they will be wowed by your knowledge!

Batman is Brave! – It’s never too early to get the tykes into vigilante crime fighting. This is one of those old school kids books with the thick cardboard pages, the kind that sops up baby drool real good!

Batman and Joker Salt and Pepper Shakers – Just a dash of the right spices from out of one of these magnetic shakers will add a little BIFF BANG and POW to your super supper. Just don’t ask me how the magnets work.

Batman 1966 1/4 scale Figure – Fans of the classic Batman television series will just love to get their grip on all 18 inches of Adam West in those iconic grey tights!

Batman The Court of Owls TPB – The first collection of the newest ongoing Batman run now available in a sleek affordable softcover edition. Issues one through seven of Scott Snyder’s take on the cape for only 16.99. Now that’s a lot of Bats on the cheap!

Big Batman Logo Button – Lets take a ride down memory lane… It’s the summer of 89 and the Tim Burton Batman movie is the biggest thing to happen to pop culture since the Moonwalk. No not that fake moon landing stuff, I mean Jack-o dancing back-o… wards? Anyway… what I’m trying to say is, Batman was huge and you know what else was huge in the 80’s – buttons. I blame it on Bobby McFerrin’s Be Happy BS and those smiley faces, but I digress. So we see the flick and as my family exits the theater I remember people selling all types of bootleg bat-stuff including these gigantic Batman logo buttons! I’m talking real big, like hubcap big, but maybe my memory has been fogged by years of fogging my brain, maybe they were just kinda big like this one and they just seemed big cause I was small… needless to say my parents didn’t buy me one of those buttons and I now have to write x-mas shopping list guides as a way to work out my mommy issues.

Heroclix Batman Booster Pack – In a world where underground crime rings and table top gaming collide! Heroclix is one of the most accessible and down right fun collectible games on the market, so grab up some of these booster packs and get a game going! Don’t worry, house rules are acceptable.

Batman Animated Series Logo Shirt – Batman the Animated series was another huge factor in securing Batman’s image firmly in the consciousness of the modern world. If you know someone who was coming to age in the mid 90’s chances are this “cartoon” was their daily dose of the Dark Knight. This grey shirt with that iconic angular logo will be a fitting gift for that special Bat-Maniac in your life.

Well there you have it Bat Boys and Bat Girls, just a few of the many Bat related goodies we have in stock and ready to be gifted by you! I’m pretty proud of myself, a full holiday shopping guide and only one Insane Clown Posse reference. Bloop!

Hello loyal readers. How was your week? Not that anyone asked but I had a good one. Well it was good until Forbidden Planet’s Tech Wizard/6th member of Modest Mouse, Tyler, threatened me. It turns out that some of the links I use on the blog weren’t up to his liking. I think he didn’t like the one linking to him singing a song he wrote about me, but that is conjecture. He is my editor though (ironic since his grasp of grammar is even worse than mine) and that comes with a certain amount of power. Mostly the power to make me look like an idiot… more of an idiot. I, of course, can write stuff that makes him look bad as well. I OBVIOUSLY never ever would , but I could. And that keeps him up at night, sweating through the sheets in his tiny little crib. And thus we have invented the concept of mutually assured blogging destruction. I am Forbidden Planet’s Dr. Strangelove. Tyler is my Dimitri.

In good news I’m not apologizing for anything in this week’s column. I pitched a perfect game with my last column. I’m hoping to keep my streak going and have some great comic recommendations for you all. And yes, all you Unkie Dev fans (or Dev-iants as we call them), I do not consider having my column run long so that Unkie Dev gets bumped a mistake. I consider it good strategy. There’s a plan at work here people. You won’t understand that until it’s too late for you.

I talk a lot about Dark Horse Presents here. Partially it’s because I think it is a great venue for some of the best storytelling in comics and you readers would love it. Mostly it’s because I like it a lot and don’t want it to get canceled. I never claimed this wasn’t self serving. DARK HORSE PRESENTS #21 has more stuff from comic greats like Shannon Wheeler, Duane Swierczynski, and Michael Avon Oeming. I am really excited to see new stuff from the great Simon Roy, artist on the always great Prophet. But the real reason you are probably buying this, and the real reason I don’t have to think of more stuff to say is this- a new story from Paul Chadwick (Concrete) and Neil Gaiman (Neil Gaiman stuff). If that doesn’t mean anything to you there isn’t much more I can say other than you need to read more comics. Start with Concrete and Sandman. Also read Dark Horse Presents.

The point of this column is to suggest (read: pressure) new books for you all to buy. Well I feel like an idiot for suggesting you pick up HELLBLAZER #300, but as the foremost comic journalist in the world I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it. As it stands right now Hellblazer is the longest running sequentially numbered book at DC. That might seem like a minor distinction but it feels important. Hellblazer may only “technically” be the longest running book at DC, but it is arguably the best. And now all of that comes to an end with issue #300. DC has canceled the book in favor of a “younger, hipper” book in the regular DCU called Constantine. Apparently young hip people don’t like unique characters with rich history. Either way, buy issue #300 and put it on your nightstand for later while you work your way through the collected editions. (I know you don’t have a nightstand, you just use a bunch of old pizza boxes as furniture.) Hellblazer vol. 1 is about as good as a comic gets and it rarely lets up for the next 290ish issues.

Dynamite has done a real interesting thing the past few years. In their quiet corner of the comics universe they have taken a bunch of old pulp characters most people don’t care about and they started making fresh and exciting books out of them. The Shadow has been one of their flagships in this re-imagining. Well comics never let’s a good thing simply be, so this week sees the release of a new Shadow book, THE SHADOW: YEAR ONE #1. Willfredo Torres does some beautiful pencil work that has both a classic cartoon feel and modern styles all at the same time. And Matt Wagner does a great job of slowly leaking the origin of this 70+ year old character and keeping you guessing. This is a book that is good enough to get you excited about the whole Dynamite line. Get into it.

Remember- Don’t talk about a perfect game while it’s happening. You will jinx it.

HOW DO I KNOW WHO I AM IF I FORGET? is the new self published mini comic from writer/artist Luis Echavarria Uribe. As beautiful as it is disturbing, HDIKWIAIIF? is the story of an obsessive girl trying to figure out who she is and how she relates to the world. Her obsessions are both uncomfortable and somehow comforting all at once. Equal parts outsider art comic story and EC horror book, Mr. Echavarria Uribe crafts a story that twists and turns under you in uncomfortable and exciting ways. His art can be quite beautiful and, unlike so many self published creators, he has learned to write to his art strengths and draw to his writing strengths. Obviously for most of the people who read this column a self published mini-comic may be far outside their wheelhouse, but this book would be write at home in the collection of anyone who likes reading good comics, regardless of genre or format. Pick it up, support someone who is doing it on their own, and you will be rewarded with one of the best books out so far this year.

I was going to write a bunch more stuff but I am tired and for some reason my girlfriend just put Glengarry Glen Ross on so I sort of stopped caring about my job here. Other good stuff out this week includes the long awaited return of Kill Shakespeare. Fans of Fables, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and trying to look more literate than you actually are would do well to pick up KILL SHAKESPEARE: THE TIDE OF BLOOD #1. A mash-up of many of The Bard’s most famous characters, the Kill Shakespeare series is always good fun if you get the references and really odd but still enjoyable I am sure if you don’t. Also worth grabbing is the strange early 90’s British sci-fi series TALES FROM BEYOND SCIENCE, which is finally collected into one hardcover. 8 tales all drawn by British artist and graphic designer Rian Hughes and written by a bevy of great Brit sci-fi scribes including Mark Millar (Kick-Ass). These bizarre short stories explain seemingly unexplainable phenomenon in ways that will make you laugh and feel like someone dosed you. If you like stuff like stuff like Madman or anything zany at all this book should be going home with you. Now go spend your money wisely. And remember kids, Always Be Closing.

How about that. It was funny. It was smart. It used commas in interesting ways. Good books were recommended. A flawless column. And that means back to back perfect games. Give me the Cy Young right now. (1% of you have any idea what I am talking about.)

I am writing this column a day earlier than I usually do in hopes that with more time it will be better written and better researched. Weird thing is I didn’t do any more research and I am not sure why I would be a better writer at 3AM on a Saturday than I am at 3AM on a Sunday. Let’s chalk this one up to pointless planning and once again celebrate procrastination.

The one exciting thing about this week’s column is it’s my 9th. My final single digits column. So sad. To celebrate I will be rewarding 9 lucky readers with a no expenses paid date with Forbidden Planet’s resident Shipping Monster/Skinny Pants-Wearer, Ben. You thought I was going to offer up Tech Wizard/Baby Eagle, Tyler, didn’t you? Here’s the thing. Tyler reads this column. He has to. Hi Tyler. He would edit this part out before you all ever got close to hand feeding him the baby shrimp he eats for every meal. I am pretty sure Ben does not read this and I am very sure he can’t stop it before it comes out, hence my contest offering him up as a prize. Good luck everyone. May the best 9 men or women win. Anyway, there are a lot of good books out this week and I ran out of jokes in mid January so let’s get on with the show, shall we?

There are a few publishers in the world that have such an amazing vision, such a unique and well cultivated sensibility, that their brand can be trusted without question, their logo on a book jacket is basically a greenlight for smart readers. Vertigo has always been at the forefront of those publishers. Sandman, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Preacher, V For Vendetta, 100 Bullets, Transmetropolitan, Invisibles, Scalped, Y The Last Man, DMZ, Sweet Tooth, Fables, Unknown Soldier, and tons more. That list alone is sort of breathtaking. Unfortunately for everyone who likes good stuff, Vertigo has fallen on a bit of hard times. Long running books are being moved to DC, books that traditionally would be Vertigo titles are being lost to other publishers, and worst of all, books are being overlooked. NEW DEADWARDIANS is one of those titles. Smart, fun, social commentary on gender and class struggle as told through a society of zombies, vampires, and humans, trying to survive together in post-Victorian England, New Deadwardians is the kind of book that would have been a must have for savvy comic fans 10 years ago. I miss those days of great books getting attention.

It’s always an exciting thing when you find an artist you can fall in love with and watch their work grow over time. Riley Rossmo is one of those artists for me. Falling stylistically between folks like Ashley Wood, Ben Templesmith, and Fiona Staples, Rossmo’s work is both unique and somehow familiar. Having honed his craft on books like Cowboy Ninja Viking, Green Wake, Proof, and Bedlam, Rossmo has once again put together a new project that looks like it may be his best work yet. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS is a short anthology series with a great concept, 9 good writers contribute horror stories about the Mexican Day Of The Dead for Rossmo to illustrate. Greatness ensues. The 1st issue of this 3 issue series is out this week and well worth the attention of anyone looking for the next great comic artist.

Andy Diggle has written a lot of comics. Jock has drawn a lot of comics. Together they made brilliant comics like Green Arrow: Year One and The Losers. This week they are finally brought together again for the first issue of their “wrong time, wrong place” crime thriller SNAPSHOT. It came out in Judge Dredd Megazine in the UK but British people don’t always share their stuff with us well so Image is re-releasing it for us stateside. Man, I’m so happy we had that revolution. If you have never read any of their stuff get ready for fast paced, gritty, clever, and beautiful. If you have then I’m sure you’re already buying this one.

I guess the story that everybody talks about with ZED is that it was Michael Gagne’s labor of love for 11 years. That is an awfully long time to work on a book. It would be heartbreaking if it was bad. Luckily for all of us ZED is pretty brilliant. This seemingly whimsical tale of an adorable alien turns very dark and brutal when the fate of his planet is thrust upon him. When I was young the stuff for kids that I actually cared about was upsetting, traumatic, and wonderful. Bambi, The Seventh Seal, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Pinocchio, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Beetlejuice, The Witches, Lord Of The Flies, and on and on forever. That is something kids and YA entertainment has lost these days, the idea that it’s ok to be harrowing and terrifying. ZED has that perfect mix of innocence and brutality that makes it feel substantial enough for kids and adults to fall in love with. This is how classics are made.

I suppose a journalist should be impartial and have objectivity. I get that. Luckily, what I do is pretty far from journalism in most regards. Mostly I just tell you to buy stuff and you ignore me and buy Green Lantern. So with that first test failed I can move past and journalistic aspirations and put it out there that I have very little objectivity. There are comic creators who I like. I value their work and I pull for it to be successful. Luckily 99% of the time (maybe more like 87%) I am pulling for these creators because they are good and deserve to have readers. Joshua Dysart is one of those creators. I buy everything the guy writes. Remember a few weeks ago when I got real weird and preachy on how good Unknown Soldier is and how good his Harbinger vol. 1 is? Well now I am doing it again because I can. HARBINGER #0 is out this week. An origin story following the rise of the mysterious Toyo Harada, this issue is a great jumping on point for anyone who wants to read one of the best superhero books on shelves today. It’s nice looking, smart, and it isn’t something you have read 100 times before. Just do it.

Well that concludes our 9th column together. Here’s to the next 9, may they be as sweet as our tears and as bitter as our dreams. Now to pick the 9 winners of the 1st ever weekly “Take Ben To Eat And See Where It Goes” contest. If you see a big $$$ at the bottom of this page it means you are a winner! Drop by Forbidden Planet with donuts, lamb & rice (no salad), or Dos Toros to collect your prize.

So my ankle been’s acting up, as has my left kneecap. My lower back kind of hurts t00-GET IT? I SAID PULL IN THE TITLE AND YOU THOUGHT I WAS REFERRING TO COMICS BUT THEN I STARTED TO TALK ABOUT PHYSICAL PAI-never mind this joke is bad and I feel bad.

Loran is a bit behind thanks to the college year starting up, and the my next toy article is still being worked on. Which means if I want to get paid, something needs to be tossed on the ol’ Daily Planet, or the powers that be will send me a displeased e-mail. It’s a lot more threatening than it sounds, I assure you. So, to please the pay-gods, I’ve decided to type up an article about what comics I bought this week, and if they’re worth your money. Warning, slight spoilers below for those who trade wait.

The 11th issue (or “Round”, as it’s called on the cover) of AvX (Avengers Vs. X-Men) dropped this past week and man….I’m torn. Writer Brian Michael Bendis is probably the weakest of 5 “Architects” working on this book, as issue 11 is….kind of rough in the script department. Marvel having 5 different writers on this thing did not do it much service, as characters and the story struggle to have one consistent voice,, not to mention act incredibly out of character at times, making either side hard to pull for. The Phoenix 5 (er 2…1) are suppose to be the bad guys for the last 5 or so issues, but the Avengers have been jerks since issue 1. It’s a rough read and the hyped up death is pretty weak, considering this is the UMPTEENTH time this character has died. Luckily,Oliver Coipel handles the art for this issue, so it’s a pretty trainwreck.

However, Uncanny X-men #18 follows the proud Marvel tradition of being a book that is ” A tie-in book that’s actually better than the main series”. Kieron Gillen has been KILLING on this series, making the Extinction’s team fall from grace way more compelling that the core AvX series has, and we have Ron Garney drawing this issue, which is a HUGE step up in the art department. The book gives more of an in-depth look of the battle and events from AvX #11, and the B-story focuses on a plotline that dates back from “Fear Itself” with a shocking twist. “Uncanny X-Men” #18 is well worth the $4, where as AvX #11 is strictly for completionists, or fans of Coipel’s worth to the point where the plot means nothing to you.

I only pull 2 books from DC monthly, and they happen to come out on the same week this month. They also happen to be quite excellent. Batman #0 drops with the EXCELLENT team of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. This issue focuses on Bruce Wayne from 6 years ago, fresh from his global training, ready to make a change. It also brings back and semi-reinvents some baddies that tie into another Bat-book, and sets the stage for a story in 2013. The back-up, written by James Tynion IV & Andy Clarke, focuses on 5 supporting characters, and how Batman’s present influences them, and shapes their destiny. This is the PERFECT jumping on point for this series and a great issue overall. Well worth the $4.

Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus#3 came so very, very close to being my book of the week. It’s a great mini by Murphy, who’s been kicking all sorts of ass on various Vertigo titles these last few years. This is the 3rd chapter of a 6 issue mini where the clone of Jesus Christ is the focus on a reality tv show, and the world that the Clone of Jesus (Chris) is born into is beginning to take it’s toil on the boy, which means we should be getting a heavy dose of punk rock next issue. Also the last 4 pages are the perfect cliffhanger, making the wait for #4 quite painful. A great creator owned title, and the $3 will get you a story I’m surprise DC will publish and some of the best art coming out of the big 2 today. Buy it now, and then double dip for the eventual trade.

And while both DC releases were amazing, Uncanny X-Force #31 is without a doubt my pick of the week. Rick Remender’s final arc is halfway through, and after having their asses hunted down and kicked several times, X-Force is ready to go on the offensive and take the fight to the new Brotherhood. Literally in this book is amazing, from the script to Phil Noto’s pencils, to the coloring and letting. I could gush on more, but I’m sure you get the point. Granted it’s a $4, 20 page book, it’s well worth the money. Buy it on sight, unless you’re not reading it, then buy all the trades and get caught up.

That’s it, which is bad, because I am not so great wrapping up articles. So um….buy comics. Preferably at Forbidden Planet NYC. Setting up a pullist with us would be fine as well.

FACT: Amazing Spider-Man celebrates Spidey’s 50th Anniversary this week! Which means a double sized issued of “Amazing Spider-Man” with multiple covers is available for sale now!

FACT: Final Fantasy’s 8 protagonist Squall Leonhart birthday is on the 23rd! Um, no new news on the Final Fantasy 8 front!

FACT: My birthday is on Friday. Not toys news at all!

COINCIDENCE? Well, um yes, yes it is. Also I am old.

Speaking of old, I REMEMBER BACK IN MY DAY WHEN THE NINJA TURTLES WERE BLACK AND WHITE, ETC. Then Nickelodeon bought the rights from creators a few years back and apparently a new show is only a few weeks from premiering (IDW has also been doing a bang-up job on their TMNT comic series!). I imagine there are people that are ridiculously excited out there for this, but not as much as Playmates are, as the TMNT toy lines were some of their biggest sellers to date. The company is celebrating by releasing not 1 but 2 different toy lines. The classic line is pretty dope, as Playmates has release the Turtles based as they first appeared in the classic series. Standing over 6′ , these figures each have 35 points of articulation, have their own custom based, and of course rock their signature weapons. Fun fact: Michelangelo’s chains are actually metal, which is definitely an improvement from the plastic of the past. There’s also a line of smaller, less articulate figures based on the new show’s look, which probably appeal to the new generation of fans and completionists. Either way, the classic Turtles go for about $20-25, and the New Generation Turtles are about $15-20. Continue reading →

Mold! Mooooold! We have so much Mold! On VHS and DVD. The VHS version comes with a copy of the soundtrack on vinyl! The only way this set could be MORE retro would be if Thomas Edison himself showed up at your house upon purchase, to shake your hand and badmouth Nikola Tesla. Or if it came with a genuine mold-protective mask- wait…it DOES!?

But that’s not all that’s happening at the most happening store that happens to sell comics: No, we have a whole slew of new comics, as well as some speculation about DC’s big upcoming announcement. So pull up a chair, a t-shirt dummy, and a musty basement, and join us for today’s edition of The Weekly Pulse!

Hey FPNYC faithful, in a few short hours, yours truly will be at the Javitis Center, fan-gasming over the nerdfest that is the 2011 New York Comic Con. Despite being a show veteran, this is my favorite convention of the year, and I’m really excited to see what the likes of Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, Bioware, & Capcom have to offer to the attendees this year. And depending on security, I may decide to stalk Captain America himself Chris Evans come Saturday. For you know, article research related reasons. REALLY!

Last article we focused on a lot of the comic goodness that will be at NYCC. I’m not saying I won’t be talking about the onslaught of Marvel Universe figures we received over these last 2 weeks later on in the article, but I decided to focus on something a little more animated first. Cartoon Network & Adult Swim will have a large presence at NYCC once again this year, hosting a ton of panels with sneak peeks of a lot of their new and returning program. Regular offenders Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer will be in attendance, talking about their hit show “The Venture Bros“. And in case you want something other than DVDs signed by the duo, FPNYC currently has in stock the 8′ Venture Bros classic Mego-style figures (or dolls, if you’re up for the particular debate). The 1st 2 waves in the series consist of the likes of Hank and Dean Venture, their old man Dr. Venture, Brock Samson, the (mighty) Monarch, and “humorless #$@!” Phantom Limb. These retro style-figures go for about $15-$20 a pop, and probably wont be around long, given the show’s rabid fanbase.

We also received a ton of product from Cartoon Network’s newest revival hit, the Thundercats! Bandai-Namco will also be at NYCC, but I’m none too certain if they’ll be much of a push for the show at the convention. That doesn’t mean a trip to FPNYC to check in on these figures isn’t warranted. Bandai has released 2 different toy lines based on the new show (as well as some toys based on the 80s versions as well!). There’s a line of 6″ figures consisting of the likes of Lion-O, Panthro, & Mumm-Ra (The Ever-Living!), as well as 2 different 4″ figure lines, one standard line that covers most of the show’s cast, and a deluxe one that comes with big-honking accessories. Prices range anywhere from $10-$20 depending on the figures, so keep an eye out for them on our shelves the new time you come by. Continue reading →

Hey there FPNYC faithful, were you aware that Forbidden Planet has a small, yet awesome gaming section? Not of the video game variety (like there’s a shortage of Gamestops in Manhattan), but TCGs like Magic:The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh & Pokemon? Try as I might, I could could really never get into them, mostly because I was terrible at them, and a severe lack of interest in the subject matter, Pokemon excluded. However as you’re all well aware by now, super-heroes are my jam, and if you make a game involving them, I’ll care to some extent. Enter: Heroclix, a highly addicting game using minatures instead of cards, based on some huge nerd properties relevant to my interest, as well as some of your’s too (unless you’re just here for Loran’s robot articles)!

Topps (yes the baseball card people) originally held the license for Heroclix, but after a few years, gave it up. NECA (of Video Game Selects fame) under the Wizkid label they bought from Topps, gave the line a 2nd chance on the market and the expansion waves they’ve put out since have been best-seller for the company. NECA is one of the few companies that holds both the Marvel AND DC license, so both universes are compatible for play, meaning you can have the World’s Finest team of Batman and Superman fight Spider-Man and Thor, or make a powerful team consisting of the JLA and Deadpool. Continue reading →

My name is Chris Troy, and this is my most favorite delayed action figure line in the galaxy!

There’s a good chance that if you got that joke, you’ve played Mass Effect 2. Which wouldn’t be that much of a suprise, as the best-selling game from Bioware graced the 360 and PC January 2010, and then the Playstation 3 this past January. The game sold extremely well, which is why DC Direct/Unlimited quickly grabbed the rights to make action figures based on the title. Two lines were announced, and they were suppose to ship in August 2010. They didn’t. The prototypes were also displayed at various cons throughout the summer up to the NYCC, where the release date was scheduled for that Ocotober. Then November I think. Then March.

It is currently April. Needless to say, the good people at Bioware were upset, and announced that the first wave of Mass Effect 2 figures would be the ONLY wave, denying us Legion, Miranda, Mordin, and Garrus. But we did get Series 1, which finally dropped yesterday. I’m hoping NECA grabs the license soon, but that’s a rant I’ll save for another article. Right now, let’s focus on my latest purchase: Captain Shepard. Continue reading →

As we speak, Toy Fair is going down up over in the Javitis Center (home of NYCC!) in NYC. While I’m still trying to compile images and info for the FPNYC blog, I’ve already seen some of the new products I know I’ll be spending my money on throughout 2011, as Square Enix has shown images from the new wave of Dissidia Final Fantasy Trade AND Play Arts, while Hasbro and Marvel are already showing off a new line of 6 Inch Iron Man Marvel Legends figures, as well as a ton of new Marvel Universe releases, including 90s character like Darkhawk and the Scarlett Spider. Needless to say, there’s a ton of info to be shared over the next couple of weeks, so make sure you keep this site bookmarked!

Speaking of comics, let’s look at some recently released DC products. While DC Direct releases a ton of product, as well as the DCUC line from Mattel, several other companies release products that DC nor Mattel cover. We’re going to take a look at some of these releases, as well as some DCU releases too! Continue reading →